For gardens
| Good wizard! Thus he weaves his spell. Yet, charm he twenty times as well, Me shall he never spur, To seek again the old, green land, That seems from far to stretch a hand To sons who dream of her. William Bember Reeves (1857-1932) |
Peter Brady's Garden
The pink rendered suburban Californian mission revival house was built in the Mount Eden suburb of Auckland in 1934 and purchased by Peter in a rough state in 1983. The front of the house has a distinctly mediterranean look. In the 'back yard' Peter says "Drawing on elements of the Pacific Rim, the rich foliage, textures and ornamental detail create 'snapshots' each with its own space, making it like a Japanese stroll garden in New Zealand".
Pots on hard standing, close planting, evergreen plants and extensive use of groundcover give a naturalising effect and help to keep the garden low maintainance. Native trees and plants are mixed with 'introductions'. Peter has a good collection of cactii and succulents on his section.
Honey bees with a hive in the garden, if left alone, present no problem. When the owner is around, exotic birds are allowed to leave their cages to give the garden a colourful touch.